LatestNews
By posting news here you agree that your reports may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report. A scalable map of the London recording area can be found here. Please list sightings alphabetically by site, following our standard format to assist automatic compilation of records into the database. Only report sightings of wide interest rather than listing all common birds but DO NOT post details of nesting by scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed; please submit them instead to the appropriate LNHS bird recorder. More London bird news can be found on Twitter by searching for sightings from many different observers using the #londonbirds hashtag or by visiting the London Bird Club page (no Twitter account is necessary for either). To join the London Bird Club and support our work please visit the LNHS website. The 2012 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here. Saturday 6th June 2015 *Brent Reservoir: 2 Red Kites over at 08.40, pair of Peregrines, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing & singing Willow Warbler - first of autumn; also first Large Skipper of year (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall) *Monken Hadley Common: 2 Green Woodpecker, 5+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Nuthatch 3 adults, 4 juveniles, 6 Treecreeper 3 adults, 3 juveniles (Robert Callf) *Staines Reservoirs: Red-necked Phalarope. '''Flew in high from SW @10.00 and lost to view. Relocated amongst Black-headed Gulls half way out on S basin. The gulls flew towards Eastern bank and it was left alone for a few minutes but then flew up very high. Appeared to be going SE @10.20. 3 Black-necked Grebe W bank of S basin and a pair of Shelduck with 3 ducklings. 2 '''Avocet, 12 Ringed Plover still on N basin (Franko J Maroevic et al) Friday 5th June 2015 *Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Mandarin, Stock Dove, 4 Swift, Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) *Boxer's Lake, Enfield: 3 Common Pochard 2m 1f, 8 Tufted Duck 4m 4f, 2 Pied Wagtail adult female feeding juvenile (Robert Callf) *Canary Wharf, Middle dock: Great Black-Backed Gull (D Bates) *Charing Cross Station: Peregrine chasing three Feral pigeons low over the platforms this evening. All three pigeons seemed to get away! (Dave de Silva) *Covent Garden: House Sparrows appear to be breeding in ventilation blocks of Marks & Spencer opposite Covent Garden Tube in Long Acre: also heard in nearby Shelton Street (John Colmans) little playground off the south end of Drury Lane is also a good place for them. Simon Bradley *East India Dock Basin NR: 4 Shelduck, 1 Common Buzzard North, 1 Oystercatcher (Blackwall Beach), 1 Little Ringed Plover, 8 Common Tern, 4 Swifts West, 6 Reed Warblers (3 singing), 3 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff (N P Senior) *Kentish Town; Reed Warbler singing in back gardens in Arctic St this morning (Pete Mantle) *London Wetland Centre: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls circled over lake (Hugh Bradshaw) *Mudchute Park: 1 Common Buzzard South, 8 Swift, c18 House Martin, 1 Swallow West, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Garden Warbler, 4 Blackcap,1 m Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Monk Parakeet, 2 Linnet, 3 Painted Lady (N P Senior). *Uxbridge: Red Kite over Vine Street and High Street 10.30am (Alex Randall) *Victoria Park - West Lake: Sand Martin, Red-crested Pochard pair 2 young ducklings (Bob Watts) *Wanstead Flats: Buzzard sp north over Bush Wood and distant, Kestrel, 4-5 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow WArbler, 3 singing Skylark, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, 5 Little Grebe, m Pochard, Reed Bunting, Swallow, 5 House Martin, 20 + Swift (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: Reed Warbler, pr Great Crested Grebe with 2 young, 3 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, 50 + Swift, House Martin, m Pochard (Nick Croft) Thursday 4th June 2015 *Alexandra Park: Reed Warbler singing in cow parsley from large mound SE of cricket pitches 0640 at least (Bob Watts) *Bermondsey: 9 fledged House Sparrow, 3 fledged Great Tit (John Cadera) *Betchworth Quarry: 2 Bee-eaters flew west 1305 (David Stubbs per DMH (TQ207516) *Bow, Three Mills: Great Crested Grebe, Common Tern, 4 Sand Martin (JW Davies) *Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Mute Swan, Mandarin, Swift, Blackcap (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: 3 Little Egret, 2 Cuckoo (one at reed warbler nest), 4 Skylark, 8 House Martin, Swallow, 11 Reed Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, 14 Common Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Corn Bunting, Green Hairstreak butterfly. (Ralph Todd) *Crossness: 30 Gadwall, 16 Shelduck, Marsh Harrier (male), 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Tern, Lapwing (pair), Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Cetti's Warbler, (Ralph Todd) *Ewell Village: 1 Blackcap, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Greylag, 1 Greylag x Canada Goose Hybrid (Neil Batten) *Hilly Fields: Spotted Flycatcher, also in private garden abutting the park (Tom Moulton, Conrad Ellam, Rachel Mooney) [Which Hilly Fields does this refer to, please? Robert Callf] *Margravine Cemetery: 3+ Goldcrest fledglings (Nathalie Mahieu). *Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park, Woodford Bridge: Little Egret, 2 Reed Warblers, Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawks (one hunting high, one low), Common Tern, Jay, 2 Whitethroats, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (Alan Hobson) *Richmond Park: 1 Common Buzzard flew high NE 11.37am. (Franko J Maroevic) *Snaresbrook: 2+ Treecreeper (Gilbert's Slade) presumably a family group (Stuart Fisher) *Staines Reservoirs: 2 Sanderling, 5 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Ringed Plover N basin. 3 Black-necked Grebe NW corner of S basin in evng, Shelduck pair with 3 ducklings; was 5 originally. (Franko J Maroevic) *St James's Park: White-fronted Goose x Bar-headed goose hybrid and Bar-headed Goose with hybrid gosling, also House Martin (Andrew Self) *Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Little Ringed Plover around east res, f Reed Bunting + 2 juvs (TeRNS) *Trent Park: Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, 8 Common Swift, 3 Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, 4 Swallow, Drake Mandarin, 2 Stock Dove, Hobby, Common Blue, Small Heath. ( Pete Lowman) *Wanstead Flats: f Northern Wheatear (latest ever spring bird), 4 Lesser Whitethroat (inc. fledged young), 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, 4 occupied House Martin nests + 1 being built, 10 Swift, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 singing Skylark (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Neil Preston) *Whitings Hill/Arkley South Fields: Evening dog walk produced 30+Swifts, many Swallows hawking insects over Rapeseed field, Buzzard in dead tree, Whitethroat, Blackcap and a Hobby flying over my head ! (David Martens) Wednesday 3rd June 2015 *Bermondsey: 07:30 Reed Warbler herd singing in a Horse Chestnut Tree in St John's Churchyard by Druid Street. (Richard Green) *Clissold Park, N16: Pochard broods of 3 + 5, 8 Mute Swan cygnets, 3 Egyptian goslings (TeRNS) *East India Dock Basin: 4 Shelduck, 4 Common Tern, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 30 Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, 3 Starling, 3 Mallard, Mallard x Shoveler hybrid, Reed Warbler singing (Mark Wardman) *Gospel Oak: C.Buzzard N over Estelle Rd towards Heath at 1550 (Pete Mantle) *Kilburn: 10 Swifts, with 1-2 birds entering eves on Maygrove Road and 1-2 on Fordwych Road (Matt Reed). *Lodge Farm, Epping Green (TL 298 066): 1 Red Kite (Clive Herbert) *Regent's Canal: Coot with two broods and one on nest, 3 Mandarin, 5 Canada Goose (Matt Reed). *Richmond Park: male Wheatear (J.Few per JW) *St James's Park: Greylag Goose now on 4th brood of year (Matt Reed). *Sutcliffe Park: 4 Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mute Swans(sadly only 5 cygnets left), Little Grebe, Banded Demoiselle, Tortoise Shield bug, 2 Terrapins on raft. (P Kite) * Tottenham Court Road: Grey Wagtail (first one I've seen in urban central London) by American Church (Alan Hobson). (Surprisingly frequent around TCR, Regents St, Covent Garden over the last 5 years - Paul Hyland). (Often seen when I lived off Tottenham Court Rd 1990-2008; seem to favour flat roofs with pools of rainwater; similarly I've seen Pied Wagtails on the flooded gravel sports pitch at Triangle Field, Tooting Bec Common. Nick Granger-Taylor.) Scarce but widespread breeder (and winterer) in central London - adults seen feeding newly-fledged young everywhere from building ledges in Millbank to lake shorelines in Marylebone; probably worth a House_Sparrow-style study. * Totteridge ( from Church to Darlands Lake): Little Owl, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 G S Woodpecker, 7 Stock Dove, 7 Common Swift, Garden Warbler, 2 Swallow, Pair of Bullfinch,Common Buzzard, 4 Blackcap. (Pete Lowman and Bob Husband) *Wanstead Flats: 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 3 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 60 + Swift (including one showing extensive white on throat to breast and on underwing), Sand Martin, 3 House Martin, 3 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: Reed Warbler, Great Crested Grebe (still with 2 young), 2 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Kestrel, 30 + Swift, House Martin (Nick Croft) *Totteridge Valley: 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 2 House Martin, 6 Swallow, 23 Swift plus usual common warblers (John Colmans) Tuesday 2nd June 2015 *Kilburn: Song Thrush by St Cuthbert's Chuch. (Matt Reed) *Staines Reservoir: Arctic Tern & 4 Sanderling (Birdguides) Monday 1st June 2015 *Alexandra Park: 35+ Swift , 8+ House Martin Wood Green Res 1800 (Bob Watts) *Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Mandarin, Swift, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam) *Grovelands Park: Cuckoo singing male 12:25, 18 Mandarin Duck 4m 3f and two broods of ducklings (7 + 4 ducklings) (Robert Callf) *East India Dock Basin: Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Swift west, 4 Common Tern, 2 Egyptian Goose, 4 Shelduck, Tufted Duck, 28 Canada Goose, Reed Warbler singing (John Archer, Jo Dowle) *Snaresbrook Crown Court: Firecrest singing briefly early am (Stuart Fisher) *Pinner: Hobby over at 11:00, young Great Spotted Woodpecker being fed by adult from bird feeder (Richard Francis). *St James's Park: Pochard female with 3 ducklings, Moorhen juvenile. (Matt Reed) *Thamesmead (Morrisons Lake):Reed Warbler,Cettis Warbler,Grey Wagtail, Turtle Dove(In Flight), Songthrush, Swift(6), Sand Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat, (George Kalli) *Wanstead Flats: Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 3 Swallow, 7 House Martin, 20 + Swift, 2 Kestrel, m Reed Bunting (Nick Croft) Archived News LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}